Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealpi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Duealpi’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early flowering habit; numerous large red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEALPI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Duealpi’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform Calibrachoa plants with largeattractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-5625-001, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofCalibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-1637-006, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince May, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environmental conditions such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duealpi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duealpi’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Early flowering habit.    -   4. Numerous large red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the newCalibrachoa are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parentselection differ in flower color as plants of the female parentselection.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in branching habit as plants of the newCalibrachoa are more freely branching than plants of the male parentselection. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the maleparent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parentselection have darker red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of Calibrachoa‘KLECA05101’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,610. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily fromplants of ‘KLECA05101’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than plants        of ‘KLECA05101’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely branching than        plants of ‘KLECA05101’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller leaves than plants        of ‘KLECA05101’.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants        of ‘KLECA05101’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plantof ‘Duealpi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany under commercialCalibrachoa production practices. During the production of the plants,day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched one time three weeks afterplanting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duealpi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-5625-001, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A07-1637-006, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading to            trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit            with about 10 to 15 lateral branches; pinching enhances            branching; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 10 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 25 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 20 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing            and decumbent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after            flowering, opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 mm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,            close to 144C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 30 open flowers and flower buds per plant; flowers            face upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about four            to five weeks after planting; plants flower continuously            from the spring until the autumn in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 3.3 mm. Color: Close to 83B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.1 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded and shallowly            cordate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 83B. Petal,            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 74A; venation, close            to 74A; color becoming closer to 83B with development.            Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 74C; venation,            close to 200B. Throat: Close to 12B; venation, close to            200B. Tube: Close to 150D; venation, close to 200B.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;            sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal            width: About 3.3 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 139C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 143C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity/arrangement: Six per flower. Filament            length: About 8.4 mm. Filament color: Close to 150C. Anther            shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 14A.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            9 mm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 144C.            Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 144B.            Ovary color: Close to 144C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duealpi’ as illustratedand described.